Reflections on life in the global village

Nudism/Naturism: The newbies

There’s something to be said for meeting people for the first time in a social nudism setting. It puts lie — in part, at least — to the old saying about the importance of first impressions, because those impressions usually involve textiles as well as manners and presentation. But in a swimming pool and hot tub setting, the first impressions are really about language and eye contact — and vibes.

The swim event I attended with my group last weekend had several newbies, including a couple of readers of this blog as well as my beloved partner, Maggie. One of the newbies and I seemed to have a lot in common, and we bonded pretty quickly. It was no surprise to me later, in the dressing room, to see that she and I have similar tastes in fashion, too.

It was also so nice to be able to introduce Maggie to everyone, and to see any fears and reservations she had about social nudism fade away pretty quickly. She was glad she took the plunge, so to speak.

I expect there will be quite a crowd of us going to the clothing-optional part of Oka Beach this summer — something to look forward to. Our group will be having a summer barbecue, too.

I do love the pool settings in winter, but it will be great to take it all outdoors. After all, being au naturel in the Great Outdoors is really what it is all about, yes?

Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences. What was your first time like? First impressions? Plans?

14 thoughts on “Nudism/Naturism: The newbies”

ALOHA:…… hope i find u well…. my first experience with totally nudity; being naked and without clothes was when i was born!….. since then, i have attempted to dress the same way as often as possible…… hope you are staying warm…. aloha from the north shore of maui….. ;o}

I agree, at work I find myself looking at things like watches, pens and clothing to gauge a person during “first contact”.

When people have none of these things to impress they have to rely on who they are, a far better method.

Not everyone we’ve meet this way has been the type of people we’d associate with, the guy who within two minutes of meeting us began to explain why he hated various races for example reinforces the fact that there’s one in every crowd. But for the most part the whole no clothes thing does sort the wheat from the chaff very quickly.

That is not to say that we only have nudist / naturist friends, quite the contrary, but when meeting new people naked the whole bonding thing seems to run a lot faster. Maybe it’s just having a common interest but I think it’s more likely having a number of common character traits.

That last step before “taking the plunge” is the most difficult for a lot of people. I am happy Maggie was able to do so.I grew up in the country and most everybody swam nude at a local lake, boys and girls. When you are 8 years old, there aren’t a lot of the hangups you accumulate as you get older..

It is good you got Maggie to go that last step and take the plunge. Hopefully, she will enjoy it over time as much as you do.
Sometimes the last step is the hardest. Remember, most everyone has been in that place at one time or another.
I grew up where most everyone swam naked in a local lake, boys and girls together. Of course, when you are 8 or 9 years old, there are a lot fewer hangups than those we accumulate as we get older. But that first time, there were butterflies in my stomach. Once I dove in they were gone and I have never looked back.

Reblogged this on simplenaturist and commented:
I think there is a huge amount of truth to the first paragraph.

“There’s something to be said for meeting people for the first time in a social nudism setting. It puts lie — in part, at least — to the old saying about the importance of first impressions, because those impressions usually involve textiles as well as manners and presentation. But in a swimming pool and hot tub setting, the first impressions are really about language and eye contact — and vibes.”

I feel there is so much truth to the first few lines of the first paragraph. Shared on my SimpleNaturist blog, Facebook and Google+ accounts. Thanks I really enjoy your writing the vast majority of the time.

It was a wonderful nudbie experience for me. First time down on a waterslide and first time naked down a waterslide. First time in a hot tub, and first time naked with 25 other naked people in a hot tub. First time naked in a sauna, first time in a wave pool and first time naked there too. I felt no shyness with all these new experiences and the atmosphere was so relaxed that I didn’t even check out the naked people around me. I found that everyone was really friendly and open and I was sorry that I didn’t have the opportunity to speak with more people there, and likewise I would have loved to have spent more time speaking with you, Jillian. All in all it was good and positive, though the experience would have been much better in the sun and with less chlorine. The part I enjoyed most was when Maggie said ‘that she found the wave pool just a little bit too cold and the hot tub just a little bit too hot, but the kiddie’s pool was just right!’. I don’t know where Little Red Riding Hood was, but we certainly were the three bares 😉

I am so pleased for you that your Maggie went with you and enjoyed the experience. May you have many wonderful times with naturist friends together.

I’d love for my wife to enjoy naturism with me, but I don’t think it will happen.

She has been to my naturist club for a “friends and family day” with a mutual friend, but they both kept their “kit” on. She has also been on a naturist beach with me, OK with me and others being naked but keeping her bikini on. She tolerates my eccentricity but it isn’t for her. At least, that is my analysis of it.

My wife doesn’t mind me being naked at home with friends that accept me doing that, or with me taking those friends to my naturist club. I count myself lucky that my wife is so accepting of what I do.

As for other points in your post: I have been to winter time naturist swims in Sweden, and to winter time saunas in Berlin. They are OK, but to me what naturism is all about is warm days outdoors (preferably on a beach) being “au natural” in nature.

As for “first times” I don’t particularly remember a “first time”. For me it is something that has developed over a couple of decades or more. Working in Berlin for 15 months and enjoying Stadtbad Charlottenburg saunas, and Teufelssee dips were very important to me, but they were not the beginning.